Airport model screening for COVID-19 planned at 3 rly stations in Kerala

(Eds: Recasts overnight story)

Thiruvananthapuram, May 12 () With the Indian Railwaysall set to partially commence some train services from Tuesdayto help those stranded at various places, the Keralagovernment plans to put in place airport-model COVID-19screening at three railway stations, where trains will halt.

The stops are Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuramrailway stations.

State minister V S Sunil Kumar said symptomaticpassengers would be shifted to hospitals from the stations andothers would be transported to their home districts inspecially arranged Kerala State Road Transport (KSRTC) buses.

"These special trains will have only three stops inKerala--Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram.

The Railways will provide us with the full addressdetails of the passengers. We will segregate them according totheir respective districts and finalise the list of peoplealighting at the three stations.

Those who reach the state will be screened and tested forsymptoms," Sunil Kumar told .

As per central government guidelines, Railways has toensure that all passengers are compulsorily screened and onlyasymtomatic passengers are allowed to board the trains.

Passengers would be provided with hand santisers at entryand exit points at stations and in coaches and all of themwould have to wear face masks.

On arrival at their destinations here, they would have toadhere to the state's health protocols, he said.

The minister said counters like those at the airports toscreen passengers would be in place at the three stations.

"We will open separate counters like we have done in theairports.

We expect at least 1,400 people in each train and theywill alight at three different stations. The final plan willbe made by Wednesday evening," he added.

The passengers would be subjected to thermal screening atthe railway stations. A passenger having high temperaturewould be segregated and sent to the hospitals for a formalcheck-up.

Kumar said, "those who are symptomatic will be sent tohospital. Non-symptomatic persons will be allowed to boardKSRTC buses, taken to their districts and home quarantined."

Various departments and the local self governmentinstitutions will enquire whether the passenger has facilitiesat their residences to go into home quarantine and if not,they would be shifted to institutional quarantine.

"We will also enquire whether the person has a facilityto stay under home quarantine.

For home quarantine, we will enquire whether the househas a bath-attached room, whether it is possible for theperson to stay alone in the room and if there is anyone abovethe age of 60 years in that house.

If not, we will arrange institutional quarantine. Paidquarantine is also available," he said.

There was no need for any relatives or friends to reachthe station to pick the passengers as the state government hasarranged transportation facility by KSRTC buses.

Kerala has been following the Centre's guidelines, whichstate that anyone arriving in Kerala from other states willhave to be in strict 14 day quarantine.

There would be local level monitoring committees toensure that those who are under home quarantine do not movearound to visit friends and relatives, Kumar said.

The state has 519 confirmed cases of COVID-19 till nowand currently 27 are under treatment. RRT UD APRROH ROH